Out of hospital, Amu gets bail, to join arson probe

GURUGRAM: Karni Sena leader Suraj Pal Amu, who was put under preventive detention after last week’s violent protests against controversial film Padmaavat, was released on bail by the Gurugram police on Tuesday. He was detained under section 151 (arrest to prevent the commission of cognizable offences) and 107 (security for keeping the peace in other cases) of CrPC.These are bailable sections, and police can grant bail without producing the accused before a court.
“A police officer in the rank of a DCP can grant bail. These sections are used only to detain a person as a preventive measure,” a lawyer who practises at the Gurugram court said, adding that under these sections, an accused can apply for bail before the police. Police commissioner Sandeep Khirwar confirmed that Amu was released, but he would be asked to join the probe into the violence that broke out ahead of the release of the film. “Let him join the investigations first and further action will follow accordingly,” said Khirwar.
According to police, the probe into the case registered at Bhondsi police station after a mob torched a Haryana Roadways bus and attacked a school bus has revealed that Amu, also a former Haryana BJP leader, was complicit in instigating the violence in several speeches he had made on television channels and in public. Amu has been charged under Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC.
Fifty-year-old Amu was referred to PGIMS, Rohtak on Monday after he complained of chest pain. He was lodged in Bhondsi jail. According to sources, he was rushed to the emergency ward of Gurugram’s Civil hospital late on Sunday, but was shifted to PGIMS later for an angiogram. He was brought back to the jail on Tueday.
The Karni Sena leader was arrested after police sensed that he could give instigating speeches to make situation worse in Gurugram. According to sources, he had been making statements in media which caught the attention of police. On Thursday morning, he had announced that he would visit cinema halls and distribute flowers to film-goers. However, he was warned against this by police. At this, he had also announced that he would go to Noida instead.
So far 38 people have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the violent protests in Gurugram. Besides this, 14 people have been put under preventive detention till now. In total, action has been taken against 52 people, according to sources in the police.